I happen to love pumpkin pie, but not so much the pie crust. And my kiddos are split as to loving pumpkin pie, one likes crust, one doesn’t. So I start thinking about how we can feed our pumpkin addiction outside of the pumpkin pie overnight oats that are on repeat here. And a Pumpkin Dump Cake came to mind.
As a busy mom of 3, I wanted a recipe that my kids could help make with simple pantry ingredients. Enter stage left, this perfect fall dessert. While my 2-Ingredient pumpkin bread and copycat Panera Pumpkin Muffins are in constant rotation come the fall, I still need one more pumpkin baked good in my life. And this is the one that I'll be making from Halloween until well past Thanksgiving.
Perfect for potlucks, eating out of the pan with friends in a cabin or as an after school snack for kids after school, this is a recipe to memorize, make and become known for!
What is a dump cake?
It’s a classic potluck dessert (I see you Midwest bakers), that often has a fruit filling and we've totally hopped on the dump cake train. These cakes, typically baked in a 9x13 pan are known as dump cakes because you basically just dump everything into the pan and then bake it. While I mixed it up a bit with the pumpkin, you can totally play with the filling flavors, everything from apples to strawberries work great.
These dump cakes are similar to cobblers, but you don’t have to make a biscuit dough or pie crust as the topping. Just "dump" dry cake mix on top of the filling, drizzle with melted butter and let the magic happen. It’s the method I used for this summery Peach Cobbler (that’s really a dump cake).
Ingredients
- Cake Mix: Spice Cake gives you the most fall like flavors, but in a pinch you can substitute for a Yellow Cake Mix. Duncan Hine's is always my preferred brand, but any brand will work in this recipe.
- Evaporated Milk: Comes in a can and is located near the sweetened condensed milk in the baking aisle at your grocery store. You can substitute any plant-based milk you like if want to make this recipe dairy free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I love the Trader Joe's variety, but McCormick makes a good one too. Alternatively, see the recipe notes below for a recipe to make a homemade version.
How to Make a Pumpkin Dump Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 cake pan with baking spray.
Mix together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Once well combined, pour into the prepared baking dish.
Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the wet pumpkin mixture. Then pour the melted butter over the entire dish, being sure to cover all of the cake mix.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling bubbling up.
Pumpkin Pie Mix vs. Pumpkin Puree
While these are next to each other on the store shelf, they are indeed two very different products.
🎃 Pumpkin Puree is just one ingredient, pumpkin. It has been pureed until smooth and can be used in sweet and savory recipes.
🥧 On the other hand Pumpkin Pie Mix is the base of a pumpkin pie. It is sweetened and seasoned and best used in sweeter applications. It’s how we’ve always made pumpkin pie and what I sometimes use in my pumpkin overnight oats.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this dessert warm about 20 minutes after it comes out of the oven. Once it’s in bowls, serve with any of these optional toppings:
- Crushed graham crackers: Add to the top of the pumpkin dump cake when you add the cake mix, then cover with the melted butter. Or crush and sprinkle over the top of the already baked cake.
- Ice Cream: a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a classic way to serve pumpkin anything
- Whipped Cream: Homemade vanilla whipped cream is a great addition.
- Caramel Sauce: A drizzle of caramel sauce makes everything fancier.
Variations
- Gluten Free: Simply swap the spice cake mix for a gluten free baking mix. King Arthur’s Yellow Cake Mix is a great option
- Dairy Free: Swap both the evaporated milk and the melted butter for plant based alternatives.
- Change Cake Mix Flavors: Use a chocolate cake mix, a yellow cake mix, or even a butter cake mix to change the flavor of this cake up a smidge. Chocolate and pumpkin seem like a match made in heaven if you ask me 🙂
- Use a Crockpot: Follow the recipe as instructed, but use a crockpot instead of a 9x13 pan. Cook for about 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low or until the filling is bubbly and the top is browning.
Storage Tips
While I always suggest eating the pumpkin dump cake while it’s warm, you can also leave any leftovers on the counter, covered, for up to 3 days. Just leave a spoon on the counter next to the pan for quick tastes as you walk by.
Freezing Instructions: Let the cake cool in it's pan and then wrap with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, let defrost on the counter and then put into a 325 degree oven until warmed through (about 20 minutes).
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake (7-Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 TB pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup melted butter (12 Tablespoons)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 cake pan with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, wish together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and eggs. Once well combined, pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the wet pumpkin mixture. Then pour the melted butter over the entire dish, being sure to cover all of the cake mix.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling bubbling up.
- Take out of the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- To make a dairy free dessert, simply substitute the evaporated milk for a plant based milk and the butter for a plant based option.
- Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.
- Make your own pumpkin pie spice blend if you can’t find it in the store. I use the Pioneer Woman’s recipe:
- 3 TB Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon ginger
- 2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoon clove
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